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A R PA N S H A H GujARAt

MODO DESIGNS

C O N T A C T

Address Titanium Square, Near Thaltej Chowkdi, Sarkhej - Gandhinagar Hwy, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380015

Phone +91 7940308848

Email arpands@mododesigns.co.in

Website www.mododesigns.co.in

t H E O P E N H O u S E A Conversation with Arpan Shah

Spread over an area of 3600 sq ft, a weekend home in Ahmedabad reinterprets the notion of openness. With its lush greenery

comprising evergreen trees and open to sky courtyard, architect Arpan Shah of MODO Designs, has designed a house that gives an

“unwinding” feel, all throughout the year.

The design is meant to be a gathering and retreat place, more

like a small resort for a Gujarati family, as per the client’s brief.

The clients wanted a place away from the hustle-bustle of the

city, a place to relax and enjoy, where you forget the stress of

your life.

Keeping this essential brief in mind, the house is designed as

two blocks separated by an open to sky courtyard. The idea was

to allow natural elements to merge into the blocks and engage

the user with these elements and thereby form a communion

with nature.

The weekend house is a place in harmony with nature. A design

that flows smoothly from inside to outside, forming a seamless

connection. The material palette is kept simple, exposed

concrete and wood. The concrete slab gracefully sits on the

glass and wooden panels and ceiling.

The entrance is itself rejuvenating, flanked by a few steps and

greenery all around. The planning is based on the usage, keeping

the public areas in the front and private ones in the rear. The

front block has the living, dining and verandah space which are

more public in nature and are interpreted by a glass pavilion.

The rear block houses the private bedroom spaces and kitchen

and hence, starker and introvert in expression. The sense of

openness and flow prevails, giving an inviting feeling to the user.

The furniture is kept simple and inviting. The lighting is involving

in a sense, adding glory to the design. The interiors evoke a sense

of togetherness and homely feeling.

The glass pavilion is shielded by the harsh sun through a deep

verandah in the south, an entry vestibule slab in the east and

through a wood screen in the west. The pool located in the

south western part causes cool breeze to flow into the living and

bedroom spaces. The pool also acts as a place which can be used

for partying, with a few seating alongside, making it a perfect

pool-side destination too.

The house is intended to be informal in nature, eliminating false

ceiling in internal spaces and keeping exposed RCC slabs. The

flooring in the living and bedroom spaces is river washed Indian

granite while all toilet has natural granite, slate and marble. The

external walls have Indian granite cladding in certain portions

and stone granule plaster. The internal walls explore direct paint

without putty to have characteristic rustic look. The concern

of using the waste is also explored in a couple of toilets where

granite waste is used to create random patterns. The toilet and

dress areas are spacious and have an ample amount of storage.

The design displays horizontal scale and definition. The exposed

concrete and wood give a rustic touch to the house. Simple

in design, functional in planning, having an intimate affair

with nature/in communion with nature makes it a perfect

combination for a getaway retreat house. The design team has

truly justified the brief and added an edge with minimalistic

strategies which are impactful in nature.

What is the highlighting feature of your design?

The essential key feature was segregating the two blocks and allowing open to sky space

between these so as to engage the user with the natural elements. Also the glass pavilion

along with the 12’ cantilevered verandah on the south is kind of the highlight of the project.

We imagined a floating space and didn’t prefer any columns on the edge of verandah.It was a

challenge to build this and eventually we decided to have mild steel trusses which supported

the horizontal slab. The trusses were concealed in inclined wood ceiling, and the inclined

ceiling gave a sense expanse towards the south gardens.

Is there any particular architectural style that you follow?

We don’t follow any specific style as that can be limiting the possibilities in architecture but

essentially our philosophy is about being inclusive, interpreting and responding to place, people

and purpose to naturally have different and appropriate expressions. Our approach to design

is not to impose but explore and flow through interpretations. Inspirations and peculiarities

are gathered from place or people and given expression. These peculiarities can be climatic,

cultural and could also be personal preferences of people we design for. Our concerns also

have to been to develop a more inclusive architecture than includes the elements of nature

and which we have tried to address in this house as well.

What do you value the most while designing?

We value the initial observations noted with the user and of the site which leads us to specific

and responsive design. The design process and explorations also become valuable then as it

further allows the design to evolve and adapt. One of other concerns is also to build with a

construction finesse hence this is addressed during design and execution.

What/Who was your inspiration behind the design?

The brief of the user to ‘design a place like a resort that can be a gathering place for friends and

family’ inspired and guided the design of this house.

“Pool” seems to be the highlighting feature of your design. What importance does it play to

have something that forms the basis of your design?

We wanted to integrate the water feature as a sensory experience of this place. Its location

needed to be such that it can be a visual element from garden, the living and verandah area as

well as bedrooms in rear the bay.

Choosing furniture and lights play an important role in interiors. Any suggestion in selection

of these for the users?

The interior design needs to be in sync with the architectural character and also simultaneously

address functional issues. The furniture here was minimal and spartan in nature to sync with

the architectural character. The fabrics used was in a manner to make the space more vibrant.

The lighting is very subtle as it is designed primarily for weekend retreat and informal gathering.

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FACt FILE

PROjECt tItLE THE OPEN HOUSE

LOCAtION OF PROjECt MUMATPURA, OFF S G HIGHWAY, AHMEDABAD

BuILt uP AREA 3,600 Sq.fT.

ARCHItECtuRE FIRM MODO DESIGNS

PRINCIPAL ARCHItECt ARPAN SHAH

DESIGN tEAM ARPAN SHAH PRACHI BHAVSAR

INtERIOR DESIGNER SAPTAK PATEl

StRuCtuRAL ENGINEER AMEE ASSOCIATES

CIVIL CONtRACtOR MIHIR DARJI

LANDSCAPE CONSuLtANt AMIT MODHA

PHOtO CREDItS RADHIKA PANDIT

YEAR OF COMPLEtION 2016

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SECtION 1 NORtH-SOutHTHROUGH MASTER BEDROOM AND VERANDAH

SECtION 2 NORtH-SOutHTHROUGH VERANDAH, LIVING AREA AND COURTYARD

SECtION 3 EASt-WEStTHROUGH VENTRY VESTIBULE, LIVING AREA AND POOL

ABOVE | THE FRONT VIEW, DISPLAYING HORIzONTAL SCALE AND DEFINITION.

BELOW | SECTION DETAIL

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SItE PLAN

LEGEND

1. PORCH

2. LIVING & DINING

3. POWDER ROOM

4. STORE ROOM 1

5. KITCHEN

6. VERANDAH

7. BEDROOM 1

8. TOILET 1

9. BEDROOM 2

10. TOILET 2

11. STORE ROOM 2

12. CHANGE ROOM

1

1

2

5

6

8

7

3

93

2

4

1011

12

1

2

3

11'9" X 11'0"

31'0" X 18'0"

7'9" X 12'0"

9'0" X 5'0"

5'6" X 4'6"

10'0" X 19'9"

25'9" X 12'0"

16'0" X 17'6"14'0" X 16'0"

5'3" X 11'9'

14'0" X 5'9"

8'6" X 12'6"

FLOORING :RIVER FINISHED BLACK GRANITE & BROWN

GRANITE

WALL CLADDING : IVORY FANTASY GRANITE

INtERIOR FINISHES : CUSTOMISED

LIGHt FIXtuRES : CHANGI / ABBA LED LIGHT FIxTURES

KItCHEN FIXtuRES : CUSTOMISED

SANItARY WARE & CP FIttINGS : KOHlER

FuRNItuRE : CUSTOMISED

SOFt FuRNISHINGS : FAB INDIA

MAtERIAL SPECIFICAtIONS

ABOVE | VIEW OF THE TWO BLOCKS SEPARATED BY

OPEN TO SKY SPACE WITH SWIMMING POOL.

OPPOSItE | SITE PLAN & MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS.

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ABOVE | THE LIVING AND DINING AREA WITH VISIBILITY

ALL AROUND.

OPPOSItE ABOVE | SIMPLE AND FUNCTIONAL

INTERIORS OF THE BEDROOM.

OPPOSItE BELOW | WOODEN INTERIORS EVOKING

CHARM.

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ABOVE | THE LIVING

AREA Of THE HOUSE

ENCLOSED IN GLASS

AND WOOD.

BELOW | THE

GREENERY OUTSIDE

THE SPACE, ADDING

A NATURAl fEEl THE

HOUSE.

OPPOSItE ABOVE |

THE ENTRANCE Of THE

HOUSE, REJUVENATING

AND FLANKED BY LUSH

GREENS.

OPPOSItE BELOW |

CIRCULAR DINING AREA

WITH THE VIEW OF THE

OPEN SPACE.